“My novel hasn’t got a subject. Yes, I know it sounds stupid…let’s say, if you prefer it, it hasn’t got one subject…and the subject of the book, if you must have one, is just that the very struggle between what reality offers him and what he himself desires to make of it.”In a novel about a novelist writing a novel that mirrors the novel he is in, what is the reality of the story? The Counterfeiters, written by Nobel Prize winner, André Gide, is an impressively layered and...

"Prometheus Illbound" is a satirical and symbolic reimagining of the Greek myth of Prometheus, the titan who was punished by the gods for giving fire to humanity. In this version, Prometheus is no longer tightly bound to a rock as in the traditional myth, but rather, he is loosely chained—hence the title "illbound." He is free to walk around and interact with other characters, which leads to a series of philosophical dialogues.Prometheus is portrayed as disillusioned with humanity and unce...

This is Andreas Gide’s 1931 novella, “Two Symphonies”. It's the story of a blind girl who is adopted by a pastor with a large family, and describes the unfortunate turmoil and friction that ensue. This marvellous tale is highly recommended for fans of Gide’s work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any collection. André Paul Guillaume Gide (1869–1951) was a French author who won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature. His work often takes on the form of an exploration of freedom, and i...

These three texts explore the power and potential of music by a renowned musicologist, a celebrated composer, and a Nobel Prize–winning author.Jan Holcman's The Legacy of Chopin is a comprehensive study of the great composer's views on music—including pianism, composition, pedagogy, criticism, and more. Drawing on extensive research from a wide range of sources, Holcman provides essential historical and musicological context for Frederic Chopin's reference...

The wealthy Zeus drops a handkerchief in the street, and whoever picks it up must give him the name and address of one other person.That person is then rewarded with untold riches, while the finder of the handkerchief receives a punch in the face.This novella, a work of refined intellectual imagination, is a satirical discussion of man's search for individual values.'Prometheus Illbound' will delight fans of Gide's other notable works, such as ´The Fruits of the Ear...

Strait is the Gate by André Gide is a profound reflection on love, sacrifice, and the quest for spiritual perfection. Published in 1909, this work focuses on the characters Alissa and Jérôme, who share mutual affection from childhood, but whose love is marked by renunciation and suffering.Through this story, Gide explores themes such as emotional repression, the conflicts between desire and morality, and the ways in which religious or philosophical ideals can shape...

During the 1930s, Gide briefly became a communist, or more precisely, a fellow traveller (he never formally joined the Communist Party). As a distinguished writer sympathising with the cause of communism, he was invited to tour the Soviet Union as a guest of the Soviet Union of writers. The tour disillusioned him and he subsequently became quite critical of Soviet Communism. This criticism of Communism caused him to lose socialist friends, especially when he made a clean break with it in t...

André Paul Guillaume Gide (1869-1951), known as André Gide, was a renowned French writer. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 and founder of the prestigious publishing house Gallimard, André Gide is the author of memorable books such as "The Immoralist," "If It Die...," "Strait is the Gate," and "The Counterfeiters," among others. His work contains many autobiographical elements and explores moral, religious, and sexual conflic...

If It Die... by André Gide is a profound exploration of personal identity, moral ambiguity, and the human experience. Through this autobiographical work, Gide reflects on his formative years, offering an intimate portrayal of his journey from adolescence to adulthood. The narrative delves into his struggles with religion, sexuality, and societal expectations, portraying his inner conflict with refreshing honesty.In If It Die..., ...

This debut work lays bare the early brilliance and philosophical conflicts of André Gide, a towering figure in French literatureAndré Gide, one of the masters of French literature, captures the essence of the philosophical Romantic in this profoundly personal first novel, completed when he was just twenty years old. Drawing heavily on his religious upbringing and private journals, The Notebooks of André Walter—with its "white" and "black" halves—tells the ...

Personal recollections from André Gide on a man who profoundly influenced his work—Oscar WildeAndré Gide, a towering figure in French letters, draws upon his friendship with Oscar Wilde to sketch a compelling portrait of the tragic, doomed author, both celebrated and shunned in his time. Rather than compile a complete biography, Gide invites us to discover Wilde as he did—from their first meeting in 1891 to their final parting just two years before Wilde's death—al...

In 1890, during the pontificate of Leo XIII, Anthime Armand-Dubois, unbeliever and freemason, visited Rome in order to consult Dr. X, the celebrated specialist for rheumatic complaints. “What!” cried Julius de Baraglioul, his brother-in-law. “Is it your body you are going to treat in Rome? Pray Heaven you may realise when you get there that your soul is in far worse case.” To which Armand-Dubois replied in a tone of excessive commiseration: “My poor dear fellow, just look at my shoulders.”...